Can opener



. E. T. RUHLE April 12, 1960 CAN OPENER Filed 00%. 21, 1957 p ed. t es This invention pertains to can openers in general and more particularly to a can opener which may be used to open a can by removing an end from the can or a sealing strip from the can.

In general, conventional can openers are provided with a'cutter which opens the can by removing one end therefrom. The cutter pierces the end of the can just inside an annular bead and the can or cutter is driven so that the cutter cuts out the end of the can. In many instances, this is the practical manner in which to open the can. However, in some cases it is desirable to preserve the unused portion of the material in the can after it is opened. This is possible if the can is opened in such a way that it can be closed with a reasonably air tight seal.

Cans of this type have been used for coffee, peanuts, vegetable shortening and the like for some time. This type of can is opened by removing a sealing strip from the periphery of the can adjacent one end thereof. Upon removal of this strip the top can be taken from the can and replaced providing a storage space for the unused material contained in the can.

Cans of this type are provided with a key which removes the sealing strip by rolling it onto the body of the key as the key is rolled around the periphery of the can. This is an undesirable method of removing the sealing strip for several reasons. The obvious possibility is loss of the key. The strip can be removed with a makeshift key, however, this is hazardous as the strip is quite sharp. Another disadvantage resides in the key itself. The sealing strip rolls onto the key as it is removed and it is quite difficult to keep the strip on the key. From the standpoint of cost, it is an added expense to provide a key with each can and to attach the key to the can. An applicant has adapted the conventional can opener so that it is now'possible to open both types of cans with the same can opener.

It is therefore a general object of the invention to provide a can opener of a type adapted to overcome the shortcoming mentioned above.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a can opener which will open a can by removing an end therefrom or by removing an annular sealing strip therefrom.

A further object is to provide a conventional wall type can opener with a stripper blade to remove the annular sealing strip from cans.

Another object is-to provide a can opener of the hereinbefore mentioned type with a stripper blade which peels the annular sealing strip and guidesit in a'predetermined path.

A further object is to provide a can opener of the hereinbefore mentioned type with an adjustable stripper blade.

Another object is to provide a can opener of the hereinbefore mentioned type with means for rotating the can into the blade.

A further object is to provide a can opener of the hereinbefore mentioned type with a resilient holding means to insure proper contact between the can and the can rotating means.

The various objects and features of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a wall type can opener embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of Fig. l with a can having its annular sealing strip being removed therefrom;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a detailed showing of a preferred stripper blade.

Referring to the drawings, the following is a description of a conventional commercially available wall type can opener. It should be understood that applicants invention can be used in conjunction with many different types of commercially available can openers with only slight modification from the example shown and described herein.

The main element or base plate 10 is an elongated flat steel part of sufficient thickness to provide a support for the various other parts of the mechanism. The base plate 10 is provided with a bracket 11 on one end thereof which mates with a pin connection (not shown) for mounting the can opener in any suitable place. A driving shaft 12 is journaled in the base plate 10 in its lower forward section. The axis of the shaft extends at right angles to the plane of the baseplate and has a portion extending on either side thereof. A crank 13 is shown rigidly secured to one end of the shaft 12 to impart a rotary motion to the shaft upon turning of the crank. Rigidly secured as by a key and key slot to the other end of shaft 12 on the opposite side of the baseplate is a driving means comprising a drive gear 14 and a bead roller 16. The drive gear 14 is connected to shaft 12 between baseplate 10 and bead roller 16.

An adjustable element generally designated 17 is composed of an elongated irregularly shaped plate 18, a cutter 19, a cutter gear 21, and a lever 22. Lever 22 is preferably rigidly connected to plate 18 through a cam follower shaft 26. The shaft 26 rides in an eccentric opening through baseplate 10 and upon rotating lever 22 the plate moves in a predetermined path. The rearward end of plate 18 is confined to a prescribed path by the pin 27 riding in another eXcentric opening in baseplate 10. The cutter 19 and cutter gear 21 are connected to a shaft 28 journaled in plate 13.

Although Fig 3 shows a can 29 having an annular sealing strip 31, the end of the can may be removed with the presently described commercially available can opener. As shown in Fig. 3, the lever 22 is in the position shown in Fig. 1 and the cutter 19 is in the raised or disengaged position. The can is positioned relative to the can opener so that cutter 19 contacts the end of the can at the crease or junction between the bead 32 and the end of the can. With the can in this position, lever 22 is moved upward and down onto baseplate 10. The excentric connection between plate 18 and'baseplate 10 causes the cutter to pierce the end of can 29 and wedge the head 32 against bead roller 16. The shaft 28 is so positioned in plate 18 that cutter gear 21 meshes with drive gear 14 when cutter 19 pierces the end of can 29. In this position upon rotation of crank 13 bead roller 16 rotates the can and drive gear 14 rotates cutter gear 21 which rotates cutter 19 which in turn cuts out the end of the can.

As was stated earlier, the foregoing is a brief descrip tion of one type of commercially available can opener. The following is a description of applicant's invention as it is adapted to the above described can opener. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that applicants invention may be applied to other can openers and it is fully intended that the use of these other types of can openers in connection with applicants invention comes within the spirit of the invention described and claimed herein.

Referring to the drawings, a vertically extending shaft 33 is journaled on baseplate 10 in any conventional manner. As herein shown, a bushing 34 is formed by cutting two legs from baseplate 10 and pressing them around shaft 33. The shaft is held from vertical displacement by an annular shoulder and groove connection between shaft 33 and bushing 34. Rigidly connected to shaft 33 for rotation therewith is a driven'means composed of feeder roller 36 and a driven gear 37. Both the roller and driven gear extend through an opening in baseplate 10, the roller being of considerably larger diameter than gear 37. The plane of driven gear 37 is at right angles to the plane of drive gear 14 and these elements are constantly in mesh with each other resulting in rotation of feed roller 36 as well as bead roller 16 upon rotation of crank 13.

A spring biased or resilient means 38 is provided at the bottom of baseplate it) directly beneath feed roller 36.

This resilient means is shown in the preferred embodiment as comprising a vertically disposed cylinder 39 rigidly connected in any suitable manner to a flange 41 of baseplate it). A fiat spring steel member 42 extends through an opening in the bottom of the cylinder. A coil spring 43 around member 42 resiliently holds the member in cylinder 39. A flange formed on the top of member 42 abuts against the top of the coil spring while the bottom of the coil spring abuts the bottom of cylinder 39. A roller 46 is provided on the free end of member 42 for engagement with the bottom of can 29 thereby allowing free rotation of the can relative to member 42.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a stripper blade 47 is pivotally connected to baseplate 10 immediately rearward and above drive gear 14. The blade is free to swing on pin 48 through opening 49 to either side of baseplate 10. In the position shown blade 47 is swung to the operative position. When the can opener is to be used to remove an end from a can blade 47 must be swung to an inoperative position so that element 17 can be pivoted downward without interference from the blade. In the preferred embodiment it can be seen that opening 49 is vertically larger than blade 47. This enables the blade to be vertically adjusted to correspond to the position of the sealing strip for the different types of cans involved.

Although almost any type of flat surfaced blade will suffice, applicant has provided his invention with a blade which not only peels the strip but guides it through the opening 49. As shown in detail in Fig. 4, the blade is generally channel shaped in cross section. The base 51 extends forward beyond the upstanding legs 52 and has a flat tapered leading edge which wedges under the sealing strip of the can. The legs 52 are angled slightly outward and their leading edge is also angled forward toward the leading edge of the blade.

It should be noted, as best shown in Fig. 2, that blade 47 does not pierce the side of the can. The blade wedges under the strip and peels it from the can. In order to insure an even contact between the side of the can and the blade, it is necessary to angle the blade to correspond to the angle between the can and baseplate as best y shown in Fig. 3. This is accomplished by twisting the base 51 of blade 47.

in operation, the can 29 is positioned relative to the can opener so that the inside of head 32 is contacting the cutter when the cutter 19 is in a disengaged position as shown in the drawings. The spring steel member 42 is hooked to the head 53 at the lower end of the can. Because of its resilient bias member 42 pulls the can against feed roller 36, the upper part of the can being held in place by cutter 19. The blade is now adjusted vertically r tion of crank 13.

and brought into engagement with the free end of the sealing strip. To assist in this adjustment, the blade is provided with a handle 50 which extends on the back side of baseplate 10 and is used to position the blade relative to the sealing strip. Upon rotation of crank 13 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, feed roller 36 turns can 29 into blade 47 and the sealing strip is removed therefrom and guided through opening 49.

If it is desired to remove an end from a can, the can is placed relative to the can opener as described above. Lever 22 is then forced down against baseplate 10 and cutter 19 pierces the end of the can. Without attaching resilient means 38 there is clearance between roller 36 and can 29 and bead roller 16 turns the can upon rota- It should be noted that although feed roller 36 and bead roller 16 rotate in opposite directions, when crank 13 is rotated in one direction, if shaft 33 is positioned to the left of gear 14 rather than to the right as shown both rollers would rotate the can in the same direction upon rotation of the crank in one direction. In the preferred embodiment applicant has shown the rollers rotating in opposite directions so as to provide a compact structure. By providing a commercially available can opener with parts of the above described nature, applicant has invented a combination can opener capable of removing an end from a can or an annular sealing strip therefrom.

While applicant has described one particular embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that he does not wish to be restricted thereto and all modifications which will be apparent to one skilled in the art and which come within the scope of the appended claims are expected to be covered.

What is claimed is:

1. A can opener for removing the annular sealing strip from a vacuum can comprising: a baseplate having a shaft journaled thereon; a feed roller connected to said shaft for rotation therewith; means for rotating said shaft; means operatively connected to said baseplate for holding a vacuum can against said feed roller for rotation by said feed roller upon rotation of said shaft; and a stripper blade operatively connected to said baseplate for removing the sealing strip from a vacuum can upon rotation of the can by said feed roller.

2. A can opener for removing the annular sealing strip from a vacuum can comprising: a baseplate having a shaft journaled thereon; a feed roller connected to said shaft for rotation therewith; means for rotating said shaft; means operatively connected to said baseplate for holding a vacuum can against said feed roller for rotation by said feed roller upon rotation of said shaft; walls defining an opening through said baseplate; and a stripper blade operatively connected to said baseplate for removing the sealing strip from a vacuum can and guiding it through said opening upon rotation of the can by said feed roller.

3. A can opener for removing the annular sealing strip from a vacuum can comprising; a baseplate having a shaft journaled thereon; a feed roller connected to said shaft for rotation therewith;'means for rotating said shaft; means operatively connected to said baseplate for holding a vacuum can against said feedroller for rotation by said feed roller upon rotation of said shaft; walls defining an opening through said baseplate; and a stripper blade operatively connected to said baseplate for removing the sealing strip from a vacuum can and guiding it through said opening upon rotation of the can by said feed roller, said stripper blade being adjustable relative to said baseplate to engage the vacuum can at any one of a number of positions relative to one end of the can.

4. A can opener as set out in claim 3 wherein said stripper blade is adjustable into and out of engagement with a vacuum can held against said feed roller by said holding means.

5. A can opener as set out in.- claim 3 wherein said stripper blade is channel shaped in cross section and comprises: a fiat base having a leading edge to wedge under the sealing strip of a vacuum can; and a pair of legs angled both outwardly and forwardly from their connection to said flat base.

6. A can opener including a baseplate, a shaft journaled on the baseplate means for rotating the shaft, a drive means connected to the shaft for rotation therewith, and mean operatively connected to the baseplate for removing the sealing strip from a vacuum can comprising: a driven means journaled on the baseplate and connected in torque transmitting relation to'said drive means, said driven means including a feed roller; means operatively connected to said baseplate for holding a vacuum can against said feed roller; and a stripper blade operatively connected to said baseplate for removing the sealing strip from a vacuum can being rotated by said feed roller upon rotation of said shaft.

7. A can opener including a baseplate, a rotary member, a shaft journaled on the baseplate, means for rotating the shaft, a drive means connected to the shaft for rotation therewith, and means operatively connected to the baseplate for removing the sealing strip from a vacuum can comprising: driven means journaled on the baseplate and connected in torque transmitting relation to said drive 2 means, said driven means including a feed roller; walls defining an opening through said baseplate; holding means operatively connected to said baseplate; and astripper blade operatively connected to said baseplate forv removing the sealing strip from a vacuum can being held by said holding means against said feed roller and being rotated by said feed roller upon rotation of shaft, the sealing strip being guided through said opening by said blade.

8. A can opener as set forth in claim '7 wherein said stripper blade is adjustable relative to said baseplate to engage the vacuum can in any one of a number of positions relative to one end of the can.

9. A can opener as set forth in claim 7 wherein said stripper blade is adjustable into and out of engagement with a vacuum can held against said feed roller.

10. A can opener as set forth in claim 7 wherein said stripper blade is channel shaped in cross section and comprises: a base having a flat leading edge adapted to wedge under the sealing strip of a vacuum can; and a pair of legs angled both forwardly and outwardly from their connection with said base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,7,17,441 Keeney Sept. 13, 1955 

